In wake of vote, officials must weigh town offices options

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

fosters.com

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

Posted Mar. 14, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

Posted Mar. 14, 2013 at 3:15 AM

BARRINGTON — After voters Tuesday rejected the proposed renovation of the old Town Hall, town officials will have to weigh options on their next proposal in providing adequate space for municipal services.

Article 14, which proposed bonding $2.33 million to renovate the old Town Hall on Ramsdell Lane, failed Tuesday by a vote of 668-614. The renovation has been viewed by the Building Committee as the least expensive way to accommodate space for municipal offices, SAU offices, and the Recreation Department. Other options had included constructing new buildings in the center of town, or building one municipal complex that would contain most of the town functions.

Town Administrator John Scruton said that although he expected a closer margin in the vote on Tuesday, he wasn’t surprised that Article 14 failed. For the article to pass, 60 percent of residents had to have been in favor of the renovation, since the article required bonding.

“I thought we’d be closer but there were two groups opposing the project,” said Scruton.

He said one group, which contained several existing and past members of the Barrington Taxpayers’ Association, was opposed to spending money on the renovation. Others, however, turned the article down because they preferred new construction as opposed to renovation of the old Town Hall. With the two opposing views, it was difficult to reach a consensus, said Scruton.

Before the election, multiple residents had expressed wanting new buildings in the center of town; one option was to build a new library and a new municipal complex — a project that would cost closer to $8 million.

Going forward, Scruton said the Building Committee will soon be meeting with the selectmen to map out options for the next proposal to provide adequate space for town functions. Town officials have been expressing the need for more space at the Town Hall, SAU offices, the library, and the Recreation Department over the past several months.